4 Ways to Avoid Holiday Weight Gain

You gain a few pounds during the last two months of the year and you spend the rest of the following year trying to lose them again, only to put them back on plus more come next holiday season. Sound familiar?  Well, that seemingly endless, vicious cycle of holiday weight gain stops here with these great tips on how to avoid holiday weight gain and still be free to celebrate to your heart’s content. And, come January, you can pick a different New Year’s resolution instead of the old, worn out “lose weight” one. Because the best way to lose weight is to never put it on in the first place.

1. Just say no: Get in the habit of refusing. You can improve your food willpower by practicing saying ‘no’ in non-food related situations. For example, turn off the TV when you should be working or hold your tongue when someone is rude to you. This way, when your co-worker brings in her famous holiday cupcakes, you will be prepared to walk away. If your mother-in-law insists on serving you an extra helping of pumpkin pie, you can politely decline. You are the boss of the food that goes in your body. Never eat something out of obligation because, at the end of the day, you will be the one having to sweat off those added pounds, not your co-worker or your mother-in-law.
2. Concentrate your workouts: You may find with all your holiday shopping and party planning and feast preparing, you’re running out of time for your regular workout. If you’re having difficulty making it to the gym or your favorite spin class, don’t worry. Just do a quick workout at home. Even a 15-minute spurt of cardio like jumping rope or jogging around the block can keep up your fitness level and a short yoga sequence can maintain your flexibility through the holidays so you aren’t playing catch-up in the New Year.
3. Don’t swear off desserts: For fear of losing control, you may be tempted to forgo all of the yummy temptations of the holidays. Unfortunately, this is more likely to result in a miserable holiday in which you end up caving in and going overboard. Then you spend the next month feeling guilty over your lack of self-control. Instead, allow yourself some of your favorite treats, in moderation, and you’ll enjoy your holiday more and you’ll be able to control your cravings like a champ. Tanya Zuckerbrot, RD, author of The Miracle Carb Diet suggests practicing the three-bite rule, “You’ll get that amazing first taste, a satisfying middle one, and then a lingering third bite.”
4. Avoid morning-after food: A big, off-the-rails feast on Thursday night may leave you with the munchies the next morning, but don’t be fooled. Your body doesn’t really want a cold turkey sandwich with gravy for breakfast. Reserve your cheating for the actual family, holiday dinners and eat healthy the rest of the time. Your body will more easily be able to process one evening’s indiscretion than day after day of heavy, pound-packing foods. The sooner you go back to your regular healthy eating habits, the sooner your body will return to its pre-holiday weight.

Always consult your chiropractor or primary care physician for all your health related advice.

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